Ghost Exorciser: The Oust Fake Heiress Strikes-Chapter 281: Accidental Kiss

Lucian finished preparing for his departure, his movements calm and precise, as if everything were already arranged in his mind.

At the same time, the mansion slowly stirred to life.

Lana stepped out of her room as well, her steps sluggish, her eyes heavy with sleep.

She felt exhausted... strangely so.

Even though it had only been a dream, her body felt as if she hadn’t rested at all.

Her lips felt faintly swollen, her head light, and there was an overwhelming urge to crawl back into bed.

’This is ridiculous,’ she thought. ’I slept... so why do I feel like I stayed awake all night?’

For a fleeting moment, a suspicion crossed her mind.

Her fingers brushed against the jade bracelet on her wrist.

’Could this be the reason?’ she wondered.

Not because she doubted Lucian, but because she believed the jade might have formed some kind of spiritual link between them... strong enough to pull her into a lucid dream.

’If that were true...’ her thoughts wandered dangerously.

’Then wearing it more often wouldn’t be such a bad idea.’

After all, how could she give up a chance like that?

Lost in thought, she descended the stairs.

At the bottom, Lucian stood near the landing, speaking quietly on the phone.

Just as Lana was about to greet him, her foot slipped.

The sharp sound of her stumble echoed through the hall.

She barely had time to react before Lucian turned around instantly and caught her with perfect timing. His arms steadied her effortlessly.

He chuckled softly.

"If I hadn’t seen it myself," he said lightly, "I might’ve thought you were throwing yourself into my arms."

Lana stared at him in disbelief.

She straightened quickly.

"Th-thank you," she said, trying to regain her balance... Only to slip again.

This time, her lips collided directly with his.

Her eyes widened in shock.

Twice. She had tripped twice. And the second time, she had kissed him.

Even if she didn’t want to admit it, it felt far too deliberate.

Heat rushed to her face, and before she could stop herself, her lips moved... just slightly. The sensation was nothing like her dream.

It was real, warm, and startling in a way that made her heart skip.

The next second, reality hit her.

She pushed him away immediately, smoothed her clothes, and forced her expression into calm composure.

"It was an accident," she said quickly. "Please don’t misunderstand."

Lucian smiled faintly. "I wouldn’t."

Only then did Lana finally release the breath she had been holding.

Nearby, Lucy had witnessed everything.

She blinked in surprise. In most cases, she would have dismissed such behavior as a calculated attempt... many women tried such tricks to catch Lucian’s attention.

But Lana was different. And more importantly... her master hadn’t reacted with the slightest displeasure.

In fact, he had looked almost satisfied.

Lucy narrowed her eyes. ’It looks like Lana is seducing him,’ she thought, ’but in truth... he’s the one quietly pulling her into his trap.’

For a brief moment, she considered warning Lana.

Then she hesitated. This was the first woman who had ever affected Lucian like this. Perhaps it was better if they ended up together.

Otherwise... who knew what kind of chaos her master might unleash on the world?

Meanwhile, an awkward silence settled between Lana and Lucian as they sat down for breakfast.

Just as Lana wondered where Mr. Crow had gone, he appeared suddenly, holding a box. The moment she saw him, she frowned.

"Where did you disappear to?"

Mr. Crow looked unusually pleased. "I went to get something for you."

He placed the box on the table. Lana opened it and her eyes lit up.

At the same time, she remembered the unopened gifts she had received earlier.

Because of her hectic schedule, she had completely forgotten about them.

When she opened Mr. Crow’s letter, she froze.

"I’ll help you find an offensive artifact," the note read. "A rare one."

Lana stared at it in astonishment. She realized this was essentially an IOU from Mr. Crow.

As for the gift from Monka Anaro, it had been nothing more than a piece of paper burned into ashes.

She had been curious about it, but since Monka Anaro was away on business and unreachable, she had no choice but to set the matter aside.

Now, she turned back to the box Mr. Crow had brought and opened it properly.

Inside was a brooch.

She looked up at him curiously. Mr. Crow lifted his chin proudly.

"This is one of a kind," he declared. "Not many people can even get their hands on this."

He explained how he had received a tip, thanks to Lucy, that a particular offensive artifact had appeared far away.

With Lucian about to leave, this was the perfect chance to secure it.

Once Lucian leaves, he wouldn’t be able to leave Lana’s side worried that Lana would get in danger.

The artifact might not have looked expensive on the surface, but it was incredibly rare.

And to Lana, it was perfect.

The moment Lana pinned the brooch onto her clothes, she waited.

Nothing happened.

No surge of energy, no strange sensation, not even a flicker of warmth.

She blinked and looked down at it again, then lifted her gaze toward Mr. Crow.

"Did you really get scammed?" she asked flatly.

Mr. Crow shook his head and rolled his eyes.

"For it to work," he said with clear impatience, "you need to be attacked."

"Attacked?" Lana frowned deeply. "Then what kind of offensive artifact is this? It sounds more like a defensive one."

Mr. Crow snorted.

"It needs activation. Once it’s activated, it can both defend you and counterattack your opponent for nearly three years."

Hearing that, Lana froze.

"That’s impossible," she said slowly. "Logically speaking, if someone wore this every three years, they’d never die from external threats. That doesn’t make sense."

Mr. Crow huffed.

"That’s why it’s rare," he replied. "You should be thrilled I even managed to get my hands on it. Once activated, you can attack openly without worry."